[Techtalk] Web-hosting dilemma

['Kathryn Andersen']

On Wed, May 25, 2005 at 08:38:54PM -0700, Meryll Larkin wrote:
> You actually have LOTS of choices.  You can do browser-detection clientside
> with Javascript.
> http://www.alwanza.com/bells/browserDetectJS.html
> That example is a little outdated because it isn't where I've been putting
> my energy for the past 3 years, but you get the idea.

Javascript is evil....
 
> There are PLENTY of reliable hosting places with Apache servers for MUCH
> less than $25 per month.

But as has already been pointed out, not less than $25 a year...

> Just Google "cheap Web host Apache" and you'll
> come up with a ton of them.  Make sure you read the specs carefully, call up
> their tech dept before you sign-on and find out how they handle the URL to
> page mapping that you want to create.

I'm not sure I want to go through the hassle of unknown lack of tech
support when I could -- yes, it sounds attractive to me -- run my own
server on a virtual host, as Michelle suggested.
 
> 1.  Yes, you get more control, and more experience, but you also PAY for it.
> It is NOT less expensive to run your own host server UNLESS you host others
> and get them to pay for it.

Not worth the hassle.
Virtual server at $10 a month sounds attractive, though.
 
> 2.  You will need more than a server, you will also need (at minimum) backup
> power supply (for outages), some mechanism for making data backups of your
> sites (so that if something happens - getting hacked, a server meltdown, you
> can restore from backup), and a firewall (this can be minimal and built into
> a router, and you can be pretty damn safe with just that plus hosts.deny and
> hosts.allow, provided you know how to configure them correctly).

Running a virtual server I won't have to worry about backup power
supply, my main copy of my site will still be on my PC at home, and I'd
just have to do the firewall.
 
> 3.  If you have a decent amount of traffic going to your site, a static IP
> address on the fastest home ADSL won't cut it.  You will need to purchase
> business-level DSL to handle the bandwidth you'll need.  As you've noted, at
> that point it becomes MORE expensive than having to pay monthly fees to a
> host.  Plus you might get stuck with a phone business listing and every
> solicitor from around the world will phone you trying to get your business
> to buy their product.

(snerk)
The virtual server host that was suggested by Michelle has a very fast
connection, so I think that would solve that problem.
 
> 4.  As long as your site is not getting commercial-load traffic, you CAN
> make due with your home DSL.

"make due"?  Huh?  This isn't a library.

> If you have already purchased a static IP, you are half way there.
Yep.

> Another disadvantage to home servers is that many of us
> get STUCK with the MONOPOLY phone company that has our TERRITORY.

Nup.  I live in Australia, we have a different setup.  Now that I've got
back on the copper-wire network, I can buy my ADSL from anyone.
Mind you, it isn't as cheap as other countries, but them's the breaks.

Kathryn Andersen
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